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Josh Rouse is still learning his trade on Home, but it’s a significant step forward, as his albums continued to get better and better.Ī concept album outlining the romance and dissipation of a small-town couple in 1950’s America, Under Cold Blue Star is surprisingly effective at maintaining the story arc without ever being too explicit, travelling from first love (“Nothing gives me pleasure like you do/Nothing has the strength to pull me through”) to infidelity and parting (“Next time you’re in town/Don’t bother coming around you’re not welcome anymore”). The best song is the pretty ‘Parts and Accessories’, the harmonies underpinned by the gentle Fender Rhodes riff.
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The opening highlights include the white soul of ‘Marvin Gaye’, with its “You are a star” refrain”, and the single ‘Directions’. Songs like the subtle soul of ‘Marvin Gaye’ breeze by in a way that nothing on the debut did, but there are still subtle and reflective pieces like ‘100m Backstroke’.Īll the first rate material is stacked at the start of Home, and after the opening four tracks, the album settles back down into less memorable and more ruminative material. While it’s largely monotone compared to his more diverse later albums, there’s some light and shade here. Home is a step forward in confidence for Rouse after the often dark and stifling Dressed Up Like Nebraska, the best songs here are much more memorable. As with Dressed Up Like Nebraska, Chester is accomplished and substantial, but I still prefer Rouse’s more eclectic later albums. ‘That’s What I Know’ utilises a horn section, ’65’ touches a white soul sound, while ‘I Couldn’t Wait’ is subdued, with a languid harmonica the most prominent accompaniment. It’s certainly interesting to hear Rouse with darker and more nuanced lyrics than his usual, and musically Chester is a little more expansive than Dressed Up Like Nebraska, even though songs like ‘Table Dance’ and ‘Somehow You Could Always Tell’ would have easily fit onto that disc.
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Wagner contributes the lyrics, while Rouse writes the music and provides the vocals. The Chester EP pairs Rouse with Lambchop leader Kurt Wagner. I’ve always been a little bemused by AllMusic’s summation of Dressed Up Like Nebraska: “This is one of those classic discs one hears about, but seldom hears.” Dressed Up Like Nebraska is solidly written, but it’s difficult to enthuse about, or write much about, although I’m sure that there are fans out there who value the low key and downbeat sound over anything else Rouse has done. The most memorable songs are the faster ‘Late Night Conversation’, the insistently strumming ‘Flair’, and the cello hook of ‘Lavina’, although ‘The White Trash Period Of My Life’ has the most memorable song title. With a very homogeneous sound, the songs tend to blend into each other the hooks are there, but are more subtle than on his later albums. Josh Rouse’s 1998 debut album features a low key indie-folk sound Rouse began the album on an 8-track recorder, although David Henry, who previously toured with Cowboy Junkies, co-produced and contributed bass and cello parts. Josh Rouse Album Reviewsĭressed Up Like Nebraska | Chester (EP) | Home | Under Cold Blue Stars | 1972 | Subtítulo | She’s Spanish, I’m American (EP) | Country Mouse, City House 2006’s Subtítulo marks the start of a second phase in his career Rouse relocated to Spain, and his subsequent releases often feel more light-hearted and less substantial, as well as often featuring a more Spanish flavour. Josh Rouse started his career with the worthy but dour 1998 album Dressed Up Like Nebraska, and over the next few years became more confident and more musically expansive, building up to 19’s Nashville, which arguably stand as his two best records. So Rouse is stuck in musical limbo, too clever for the mainstream but too white bread for hipsters, and he’s limited to fans of heartfelt, accomplished song writing. Rouse’s thoughtful songs are in the wrong era to find a mass audience, while his fondness for pop hooks and straightforward sensibilities don’t win him friends at Pitchfork. There’s lots to like about Rouse’s work, but I’m not sure that he’ll be remembered as a major artist. His observational songwriting and gentle voice are sometimes reminiscent of Paul Simon’s 1970’s work, while his penchant for 10 track, 40 minute albums also makes him feel like a throwback. He also has a predilection for 1970’s soft rock, most explicitly on 2003’s excellent genre exercise album 1972.
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Nebraskan born singer-songwriter Josh Rouse grew up inspired by British bands like The Smiths and The Cure, and his music reflects both the homespun feeling of the American Midwest and the introverted yet poppy sound of the bands that influenced him.